Lately it seems a lot of my assignments have been centered around music and musicians. I get to spend time meeting these musicians, talking to them about their craft and their passion, then I get to be spoiled to a first row front and center seat if you will to their performance. In the past two weeks I've had the fortune to cover an 11-year-old Pianist and Harpsichordist who is set to perform at Carnegie Hall and filmed for PBS, a "jazz" trio performing their amazingly rich and mood provoking sounds inside their tiny tiny little studio inside an old Victorian in San Jose, and a father-son duo from South Africa (who performed for Nelson Mandela) playing uniquely beautiful African drums, xylophones, and other instruments specific to their African roots. Each time I was amazed by these musicians and their talents for producing such vibrant, and very different sounds. There's a reason why I don't listen to the radio much these days...this is sooooo much better!
Listening to the classical station is one thing, but being able to hear the harpsichord played in person is something completely different. So tinny and mechanical sounding, hard to believe an 11 year old plays this thing.
Lately it seems a lot of my assignments have been centered around music and musicians. I get to spend time meeting these musicians, talking to them about their craft and their passion, then I get to be spoiled to a first row front and center seat if you will to their performance. In the past two weeks I've had the fortune to cover an 11-year-old Pianist and Harpsichordist who is set to perform at Carnegie Hall and filmed for PBS, a "jazz" trio performing their amazingly rich and mood provoking sounds inside their tiny tiny little studio inside an old Victorian in San Jose, and a father-son duo from South Africa (who performed for Nelson Mandela) playing uniquely beautiful African drums, xylophones, and other instruments specific to their African roots. Each time I was amazed by these musicians and their talents for producing such vibrant, and very different sounds. There's a reason why I don't listen to the radio much these days...this is sooooo much better!
Listening to the classical station is one thing, but being able to hear the harpsichord played in person is something completely different. So tinny and mechanical sounding, hard to believe an 11 year old plays this thing.
The "jazz" trio Panthelion. Jazz is in quotations because their music is not the usual stuff you'd hear on the radio. It's energetic, youthful, moody, booming to the point that it shakes the room and vibrates in your feet, soulful and complex.
This is Baba Shibamba and his son performing on African drums. He also sang a few songs in Zulu, which was totally cool and new- it's nice to be introduced to different music. I'm hoping to follow up with him and get some audio of his recordings, maybe incorporate it into an audio slideshow.
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